Print-in-Place Staircase Automaton Marble Run

This is a print-in-place marble run that uses a staircase automaton as its lift mechanism. The track’s main feature is a spiral loop, while the lift consists of four moving steps that raise the ball 49 mm over 42 mm of horizontal distance—about a 50° incline. The lift uses linkages similar to those in my engine fidget models and is powered by a hand-cranked knob that brings the marbles to the top of the track. Although on the smaller side, this marble run can smoothly handle 3 marbles (12 mm diameter) at once. The base features a hexagonal grid that serves both as structural support for the mechanism and as a tray to hold the marbles.

Boost MeIf you like this model or want to support my work, consider boosting. Thanks!

Simple Marble Assembly:

Insert a pin into 1 hemisphere/half of the marble, then snap the other half onto the other side of the pin.

 

If pins do not fit, due to differences in tolerances between printers, use the scaling feature in Bambu studio to scale both x and y dimensions. I recommend scaling by .05 or .1 mm at a time.

Print Profiles and Notes:

1. Single Color Marble Run: Prints sideways to allow for the mechanism to be printed without support. Seams are aligned to the back for better looks.
2. Marbles: Parts for 3 printable 12mm diameter marbles. Hemispheres are printed at .12mm layers for better surface finish along with more settings listed in the print profile page
3. Multi Color Marble Run: A 2 color version of the marble run.